Spectral characteristics of side face excited microstructured fibers for photonic integrated circuits formations

We propose a new method for mass production of the photonic crystal devices on the basis of widely-known and well-developed technology such as microstructured optical fibers. In this paper, we investigate the optical properties of side-excited microstructured optical fiber and discuss the conditions for utilization such a structure as a planar photonic crystal device, namely, the high-quality resonance filter.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

High-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation enhances unfamiliar face matching of high resolution and pixelated faces.

Face identification is useful for social interactions and its impairment can lead to severe social and mental problems. This ability is also remarkably important in applied settings, including eyewitness identification and ID verification. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS) to enhance different cognitive skills. However, research has produced inconclusive results about the effectiveness of tRNS to improve face identification. The present study aims to further explore the effect of tRNS on face identification using an unfamiliar face matching task. Observers firstly received either high-frequency bilateral tRNS or sham stimulation for 20 min. The stimulation targeted occipitotemporal areas, which have been previously involved in face processing. In a subsequent stage, observers were asked to perform an unfamiliar face matching task consisting of unaltered and pixelated face pictures. Compared to the sham stimulation group, the high-frequency tRNS group showed better unfamiliar face matching performance with both unaltered and pixelated faces. Our results show that a single high-frequency tRNS session might suffice to improve face identification abilities. These results have important consequences for the treatment of face recognition disorders, and potential applications in those scenarios whereby the identification of faces is primordial

Widely tunable erbium-doped fiber laser based on multimode interference effect

A widely tunable erbium-doped all-fiber laser has been demonstrated. The tunable mechanism is based on a novel tunable filter using multimode interference effects (MMI). The tunable MMI filter was applied to fabricate a tunable erbium-doped fiber laser via a standard ring cavity. A tuning range of 60 nm was obtained, ranging from 1549 nm to 1609 nm, with a signal to noise ratio of 40 dB. The tunable MMI filter mechanism is very simple and inexpensive, but also quite efficient as a wavelength tunable filter

The heterogeneity of holistic processing profiles in developmental prosopagnosia: holistic processing is impaired but not absent

Although it is generally assumed that face recognition relies on holistic processing, whether face recognition deficits observed in Developmental Prosopagnosics (DPs) can be explained by impaired holistic processing is currently under debate. The mixed findings from past studies could be the consequence of DP’s heterogeneous deficit nature and the use of different measures of holistic processing—the inversion, part-whole, and composite tasks—which showed a poor association among each other. The present study aimed to gain further insight into the role of holistic processing in DPs. Groups of DPs and neurotypicals completed three tests measuring holistic face processing and non-face objects (i.e., Navon task). At a group level, DPs showed (1) diminished, but not absent, inversion and part-whole effects, (2) comparable magnitudes of the composite face effect and (3) global precedence effect in the Navon task. However, single-case analyses showed that these holistic processing deficits in DPs are heterogeneous

Machine Learning in Melanoma Diagnosis. Limitations About to be Overcome

[spa] Antecedentes: La clasificación automática de imágenes es una rama prometedora del aprendi-zaje automático (de sus siglas en inglés Machine Learning [ML]), y es una herramienta útil enel diagnóstico de cáncer de piel. Sin embargo, poco se ha estudiado acerca de las limitacionesde su uso en la práctica clínica diaria.Objetivo: Determinar las limitaciones que existen en cuanto a la selección de imágenes usadaspara el análisis por ML de las neoplasias cutáneas, en particular del melanoma.Métodos: Se dise ̃nó un estudio de cohorte retrospectivo, donde se incluyeron de forma conse-cutiva 2.849 imágenes dermatoscópicas de alta calidad de tumores cutáneos para su valoraciónpor un sistema de ML, recogidas entre los a ̃nos 2010 y 2014. Cada imagen dermatoscópica fueclasificada según las características de elegibilidad para el análisis por ML.Resultados: De las 2.849 imágenes elegidas a partir de nuestra base de datos, 968 (34%) cum-plieron los criterios de inclusión. De los 528 melanomas, 335 (63,4%) fueron excluidos. Laausencia de piel normal circundante (40,5% de todos los melanomas de nuestra base de datos)y la ausencia de pigmentación (14,2%) fueron las causas más frecuentes de exclusión para elanálisis por ML.Discusión: Solo el 36,6% de nuestros melanomas se consideraron aceptables para el análisispor sistemas de ML de última generación. Concluimos que los futuros sistemas de ML deberánser entrenados a partir de bases de datos más grandes que incluyan imágenes representativasde la práctica clínica habitual. Afortunadamente, muchas de estas limitaciones están siendosuperadas gracias a los avances realizados recientemente por la comunidad científica, como seha demostrado en trabajos recientes. [eng] Background: Automated image classification is a promising branch of machine learning (ML)useful for skin cancer diagnosis, but little has been determined about its limitations for generalusability in current clinical practice.Objective: To determine limitations in the selection of skin cancer images for ML analysis,particularly in melanoma.Methods: Retrospective cohort study design, including 2,849 consecutive high-quality dermos-copy images of skin tumors from 2010 to 2014, for evaluation by a ML system. Each dermoscopyimage was assorted according to its eligibility for ML analysis.Results: Of the 2,849 images chosen from our database, 968 (34%) met the inclusion criteriafor analysis by the ML system. Only 64.7% of nevi and 36.6% of melanoma met the inclusioncriteria. Of the 528 melanomas, 335 (63.4%) were excluded. An absence of normal surroundingskin (40.5% of all melanomas from our database) and absence of pigmentation (14.2%) were themost common reasons for exclusion from ML analysis.Discussion: Only 36.6% of our melanomas were admissible for analysis by state-of-the-art MLsystems. We conclude that future ML systems should be trained on larger datasets which includerelevant non-ideal images from lesions evaluated in real clinical practice. Fortunately, many ofthese limitations are being overcome by the scientific community as recent works show

The Effect of Macular Hole Duration on Surgical Outcomes: An Individual Participant Data Study of Randomized Controlled Trials

Topic: To define the effect of symptom duration on outcomes in people undergoing surgery for idiopathic full-thickness macular holes (iFTMHs) by means of an individual participant data (IPD) study of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The outcomes assessed were primary iFTMH closure and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Clinical Relevance: Idiopathic full-thickness macular holes are visually disabling with a prevalence of up to 0.5%. Untreated BCVA is typically reduced to 20/200. Surgery can close holes and improve vision. Symptom duration is thought to affect outcomes with surgery, but the effect is unclear. Methods: A systematic review identified eligible RCTs that included adults with iFTMH undergoing vitrectomy with gas tamponade in which symptom duration, primary iFTMH closure, and postoperative BCVA were recorded. Bibliographic databases were searched for articles published between 2000 and 2020. Individual participant data were requested from eligible studies. Results: Twenty eligible RCTs were identified. Data were requested from all studies and obtained from 12, representing 940 eyes in total. Median symptom duration was 6 months (interquartile range, 3–10). Primary closure was achieved in 81.5% of eyes. There was a linear relationship between predicted probability of closure and symptom duration. Multilevel logistic regression showed each additional month of duration was associated with 0.965 times lower odds of closure (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.935–0.996, P = 0.026). Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, ILM flap use, better preoperative BCVA, face-down positioning, and smaller iFTMH size were associated with increased odds of primary closure. Median postoperative BCVA in eyes achieving primary closure was 0.48 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (20/60). Multilevel logistic regression showed for eyes achieving primary iFTMH closure, each additional month of symptom duration was associated with worsening BCVA by 0.008 logMAR units (95% CI, 0.005–0.011, P < 0.001) (i.e., ∼1 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letter loss per 2 months). ILM flaps, intraocular tamponade using long-acting gas, better preoperative BCVA, smaller iFTMH size, and phakic status were also associated with improved postoperative BCVA. Conclusions: Symptom duration was independently associated with both anatomic and visual outcomes in persons undergoing surgery for iFTMH. Time to surgery should be minimized and care pathways designed to enable this

SÁNCHEZ, VIOLETA [Material gráfico]

Copia digital. Madrid : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Subdirección General de Coordinación Bibliotecaria, 201

Data from an International Multi-Centre Study of Statistics and Mathematics Anxieties and Related Variables in University Students (the SMARVUS Dataset)

This large, international dataset contains survey responses from N = 12,570 students from 100 universities in 35 countries, collected in 21 languages. We measured anxieties (statistics, mathematics, test, trait, social interaction, performance, creativity, intolerance of uncertainty, and fear of negative evaluation), self-efficacy, persistence, and the cognitive reflection test, and collected demographics, previous mathematics grades, self-reported and official statistics grades, and statistics module details. Data reuse potential is broad, including testing links between anxieties and statistics/mathematics education factors, and examining instruments’ psychometric properties across different languages and contexts. Data and metadata are stored on the Open Science Framework website [https://osf.io/mhg94/]